Eifert G H, Hodson S E, Tracey D R, Seville J L, Gunawardane K
Department of Psychology, West Virginia University, Morgantown 26506-6040, USA.
J Behav Med. 1996 Aug;19(4):385-99. doi: 10.1007/BF01904764.
Psychological features and complaints of persons presenting to medical settings with heart-focused anxiety and noncardiac chest pain are poorly understood. Comparing 20 healthy heart-anxious patients to cardiac and surgical inpatients and nonpatient controls, we found that healthy heart-anxious patients (a) were as afraid of chest pain and heart palpitations as inpatients with heart disease, (b) were as incapacitated by symptoms and using medical services as much as both inpatient groups; and (c) reported higher levels of cardiac disease conviction, heart awareness, and behaviors designed to protect their heart than surgical patients and nonpatients. Compared to all other groups, healthy heart-anxious patients reported more panic and other anxiety disorders, hypochondriacal beliefs, physical symptoms, obsessive-compulsive concerns, and negative affect. Following a hyperventilation test, heart-anxious patients also indicated more distressing symptoms and thoughts, and felt less safe and in control than surgical patients and nonpatients. Results support efforts for a timely recognition, diagnosis, and behavioral treatment of persons with heart-focused anxiety.
对于因关注心脏的焦虑和非心脏性胸痛而前往医疗机构就诊的患者的心理特征和主诉，我们了解得还很少。通过将20名健康的心脏焦虑患者与心脏科和外科住院患者以及非患者对照组进行比较，我们发现健康的心脏焦虑患者：（a）对胸痛和心悸的恐惧程度与心脏病住院患者一样；（b）因症状而丧失能力的程度以及使用医疗服务的频率与两个住院患者组相同；（c）与外科患者和非患者相比，他们报告的心脏病确信度、心脏意识以及为保护心脏而采取的行为水平更高。与所有其他组相比，健康的心脏焦虑患者报告的恐慌和其他焦虑症、疑病观念、身体症状、强迫观念以及负面影响更多。在进行过度通气测试后，心脏焦虑患者还表现出更多令人痛苦的症状和想法，并且比外科患者和非患者感觉更不安全、更无法掌控局面。研究结果支持及时识别、诊断和对关注心脏焦虑的患者进行行为治疗的努力。
